New-York tribune., 1887-12-11
FLORIDA DAYS.
NOTHING BUT CLIMATE.

have Just spent some moments IN the h'o"o"'
looking up the openings between the runner an" ."O
roof, and seeing how copious are the s'rcaih' Va ~
that down go
why was that hole so large and the funnel so sma'i
Now know the reason for Mrs. wayne's smile whch
] said thought pipe was a GOOD enough 'N''
for a Florida house. Impossible for us 10 ha'o a ~
for the water spreads In sheets round tho ou's"o VI
the funnel down to the stove, and hzzles anu h'''
In at the covers, putting end TO the attempt At
blaze. No fire, no dinner. And we could nave na'
a dinner to-day for Ronald brought in dozen quas
Yesterday He is improving as a provlder. VIC have
eaten crackers and cold bacon, however We h"'
crackers and cold bacon for breakfast lhueTu IL
to sit fOnornly In ront Oh tiio upon
door which leads to the veranda, that IL VIII always
rain and shall continue always to mastica'o 'no
food have mentioned above We feel as II we would
give our birthrlghts for oil stove lmmehia'oiy
after our morning meal. Ronald walked to tho store
at tho river settlement for an oil stove. No, they
hadn't had any I'm stock for months might have some
some timo, couldn't say. All Of us, before coming
here, had scruplcs about eating pork But sum
scrupes are not worth much I'm the primitive parts Oh
Florida.
Shut in by tho rain VIC have ample leisure to ap-
prcclac the fact that there cas In hS mousse
Tho groccryman told It was because 1t was log
house: Mrs Wayne asserts It Is because the former
occupant had a dog and also have dog But VIC
only know the fact without power to change IT, Inc
real reason probably IS that the climate here "ouid
mako people too happy without few drawbacks
And there troops Of rats. When daylight comes,
as lie on my cot looking out between the logs; sec
gray whshcred of the rodent tribe sauhtcrnB
about on the logs between me and the sunlight. once
| put forth my hand and took my pistol, which was
at the head of my led, and fired 1t at a fat rat who
was squatting scrcncly where the honcysuchlc
pushes its way into the rO0m
did not hit the rat but frightened him and all
the other inhabitants Of tho house. Melau'a came
rushing into my room and when she found was SAFE
she actually seemed defraudcd Of some expected enter
tanmcnt.
With temper told her was sorry not to be
able to oblgc her by being found in pool of blood,
but was perfectly well and not hurt at all She
rctortcd that when person reused by pistol
shot, tho person thus reused naturally was disap-
pointed to find any wounded
Besides ticks and ncas, anl rats, have millions
Of the smallest rcd ants. At first we lost food and
drink by placing these in the rude closet in the dining
room In nalf an hour all eatablcs would be per-
fccty covered with swarmlng crowd OF these ants,
and all drink thick with their drowned bodies
Now have set the legs Of the big rough table on
which We eat into vessels Of water, and this table
stands every thing We expect to eat or drink
notice that Mrs Wayne has something which she calls
a SAFE and which stands IN water Yes, there are
drawbacks which even the Gulf Stream which Is SAID
to do 50 much for Florida, cannot remove. This Is
life portion Of the state where lherc IS little al
vantage, little amelloraOn from civilization; IN short
nothing but climate. Here IS where We get pure
climate, unmxcd with comforts imported rom inc
North
Now that It rains VIC have found
that the house leaks; In some places
it leaks in small, persistent dribbles In
others II what We might call mountain torrents; ana
everywhere It appears to eXhalc hom Its walls, IN
wardy toward Us, thick fog
We have found few spots which are not yet pro-
nouuccdIy wet and these spots We have hastily
Piled all thc things which particularly wish we
could keep dry. The beds, which sacks filed with
spanish moss which somewhat resembles curled hair,
arc continually pulled from one place to another
There was found to be- square foot tn my room
whore a stream Of water not liable to come. our
g,ssamcr waterproof cloak, spread over the beds
now, and the beds In one long stak A. 1t had
not raned or Ions time previous to our hiring this
house We did not the time notice signs Of tins
leakage. We ought, however, to have had sense
enough To know that It must leak If 1t ever had
chance. That the. place should be repaired Is A.
much out Of the question was the idea oi repair
to the famous man Who, ON being questioned a, to
Why hc did mend th' roof to hl, house, replied
that when It ralucd hc couldn't mend il, and wien It
didn't rain there want no need o. mcud.n' H.
This seem, TO bo the attitude Of mind IN regard 10
a great deal In the south.
We all sat hudllcd together in the drycst portion
OF the middle and saAcd at the water as 1t came
down This Is what We were really dons, although
wc wcrc pretending to be- ohccrfIily reading. had
teen telling Mcau,a that this was VERY exceptional
weather. As l had come here first, II fell upon ne
10 defend the house, the weather and lyihhs else
Mclausa had ridden her mule twice, eolns up to
the post oiiicc each time, and each Time "ao gone
50 Ions that feared her stccd had chosen to fling her
into the river, for Whatever n mule Chooses 10 90,
that be does
She informed me her second return that need
never 10 really alarmed, ior what her mule chose TO
do WaIG and she could not help het'elI In the
least. The second time hc had walked slower than
ON the first tip she said she could only be- sure she
Was moving all by fixing her eyes Oh certain pine
opposite her. and finding that after a considerable
umo sho WAS obliged to turn her head slightly back
ward In order lhc tree This experiment scatly
encouraged her. for before trying 1t although there
appeared to be- l-h motion beneath her, IT seemed
to amount to nothing In the way of progress
1t IS Fortunate, she said thankfully, that IS 50
good for be out In the air here. l'hall be IN
the air all the time, for mean to 30 to the post office
every day and my muo Will insure that the TIP shall
take about all the daylight there is
And ON the third day II had rancd
sitting reading, as / have said, my friend, gancinS
up, made this remark:
Il suppose that IS kind Of anlphbiouS
crcaturc Eom toe river
She was looking at an object which coming
with great calmuess and dcllhcratcucss up toward us
from tho road There dchnitcncSs to tho figure
IL, YET for 1t was wrapped In something large and
bulky In another moment | Thought recognized
the rubber boots and the sticking through slit
Directly We all recognized S'lango As she drew near
We that her wrap was an old bed gun, once oi
.,y color, now torn aud socL 1t SO largo that
though sho had It her head, II sIill tralcd
out suddcn and heavy, on the sand behind her But
1 was glad to SEQ her without her sun bonnet. Her
hair was mado wayy by the dampncsS, and her
face wa somewhat flushed, not because sho had moved
rapidly Tho setter dashed out In the rain to greet
her As she came to the Vcranda She did not
appear to notice any but me.
AZ tho bed quit fell TO tho ground, noticed
that She had under her arm parcel which She was
carrying very carefully. This parcel was wrapped